The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1887-12-29
ON GOOD BREEDING.
The elndescribable"Somethins' which
makes Gentleman Gentleman



Subtle, fragrant, indescribable, but
all.preyading is that lovely thing we
cali good breeding. AS subtle and
indescribable, but by no means fra
grant, is its ungainly opposite.
keenly conscious Of the absence Of
the former, but unable to exactly
specify and define when present, We
know and feel, but cannot analyze
nor tabulate-save in cases Of ex-
ceptional sweetness and refinement,
when we can touch the exact action
and repeat the commanding word
which governed all. So with i'll
breeding. We can scarcely cay
where it was unless the misdemeanor
was as deep as a we'll and as wide as
a church door; but there it was, and
we felt and knew whether we were
able to define it or not. No one can
describe discord nor harmony. So
with the mystery Of good breeding
the subtle harmony and passing flavor
of true politeness. 1t is beard in an
intonation-an infection-ln the
choice Of one word over another
seemingly its twin, but with just that
difference of application, rather than
meaning, which creates the essence
of good breeding The almost mi
croscopic recognition Of a stranger
the specialized attention Of an unob-
trusive kinds its evidence; the
careless neglect of an apparently IN
significant form is its death warrant.
TO be the only stranger in a room
full of intinates and to be unintro-
duced and neglected is an act Of i'll.
breeding specially Britannia. II
by chance one more kind'hearted to
begin with, ana more polished by
friction to 90 on with, takes pity on
the poor social waif and stray and
offers any attention or reels OFT
the thread Of a conversation: that
person has this marvellous charm we
call good breeding, in which all the
rest have been deficient. When you
enter a room and are presented to the
hostess her reception of you proves
her good breeding or her bad. The
way her children meet you-the way
in which, at any age beyond the
mezest babyhood, they speak and
hold themselves-is as eloquent of
their gentle training Or ungentle as
is correct accent or provincial.
No idiosyncrasy mars the real es-
sence of good breeding, and all the
excuses made for lspses and lessons
are futile.
Good breeding is the current coin
of society. He who is bankrupt
therein ought not to take rank with
the rest. The defaulting Lombard
had his bench broken in full conclave
and was chased out Of the street
where his better brethren carried on
their business. What the old money
changers and money-lenders did with
their defaulting members, society
ought to do to the ill-bred-to the
people who oppose all you say for
the mere sake Of opposing you, and
and not for anything approaching to
a principle; who contradict you fatty,
and d. not apologize when they are
proved in the wrong; tell you home
truths of bilious complexion and vim
egar aspect; who respect ill-natured
remarks made in their presence, or
repeated to them, making you feel
YOU are scorned and despised you
know not why, and vilifed without
the chance given you of self:justifca'
ton; who abuse your known friends
and ascribe to them all the sins OF
the Decalogue; who brutally attack
your known principles in religion,
morals, politics; who sneer at. your
cherished superstitions end fall foul
of your confessed weaknesses; who
take the upper hand of you generally
not counting your susceptibillties as
worth the traditional button. Such
people as these-aud there are many
of them now masquerading as ladies
and gentlemen of good position and
irreproachable credentials-no mat
ter what their lineage or fortune,
should be cashlered, and society
would be all the sweeter and more
wholesome for the want Of them.
Contract these spiny hedgehogs. these
aggressive thorn-bushes, these sting
ing mosquitoes and ramping tarantu.
las with their opposite-the well-bred
and gentle folk who never wound you,
never tread on your corns nor offend
your susceptibilities in any way, and
who carefully carry out of sight all
their own private little flags Vhich
may be your red rags. This is not
want of courage, but it is good breed
ing.